USGS confirms 2018 cement, sand & gravel, stone shipment gains

Sources: U.S. Geological Survey; CP staff

Surveys from the federal agency closest to the construction materials supply chain indicate that portland and blended cement, sand & gravel and crushed stone producers closed 2018 with respective year-over-year shipment gains of 3 percent, 7 percent and 4 percent. U.S. Geological Survey estimates last year’s production volumes at 87.8 million metric tons of portland and blended cement; 961 million mt of sand & gravel; and, 1.41 billion mt of crushed stone. With nearly 50 percent of industry shipments, Texas, California, Missouri, Florida and Alabama were the leading states in 2018 cement output. Construction aggregate deliveries last year were above 2017 shipments in 34 of 50 states. Aggregates output leaders were Texas, California, Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio; their combined 2018 production of 716 mt represented a 7 percent increase over the prior year.